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authorJim Meyering <jim@meyering.net>2003-07-26 12:18:21 +0000
committerJim Meyering <jim@meyering.net>2003-07-26 12:18:21 +0000
commit0cffa272aa3961da6e5013a0b1de2b0ef7b9226d (patch)
treedd063144c49db59740945c3152a400e239cdb0f2 /doc
parent24d7f9474937b89ae2c21284bad0027867f7154c (diff)
downloadcoreutils-0cffa272aa3961da6e5013a0b1de2b0ef7b9226d.tar.xz
Document changes of 2003-07-24.
Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
-rw-r--r--doc/coreutils.texi33
1 files changed, 27 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi
index fc83a87c3..05dcd668b 100644
--- a/doc/coreutils.texi
+++ b/doc/coreutils.texi
@@ -8692,15 +8692,36 @@ expression must be a separate argument.
@command{test} has file status checks, string operators, and numeric
comparison operators.
+@command{test} has an alternate form that uses opening and closing
+square brackets instead a leading @samp{test}. For example, instead
+of @samp{test -d /}, you can write @samp{[ -d / ]}. The square
+brackets must be separate arguments; for example, @samp{[-d /]} does
+not have the desired effect. Since @samp{test @var{expr}} and @samp{[
+@var{expr} ]} have the same meaning, only the former form is discussed
+below.
+
@cindex conflicts with shell built-ins
@cindex built-in shell commands, conflicts with
Because most shells have a built-in command by the same name, using the
unadorned command name in a script or interactively may get you
different functionality than that described here.
-Besides the options below, @command{test} accepts a lone @option{--help} or
-@option{--version}. @xref{Common options}. A single non-option argument
-is also allowed: @command{test} returns true if the argument is not null.
+Besides the options below, a single argument is also allowed:
+@command{test} returns true if the argument is not null. The argument
+can be any string, including strings like @samp{-d}, @samp{-1},
+@samp{--}, @samp{--help}, and @samp{--version} that most other
+programs would treat as options. To get help and version information,
+invoke the commands @samp{[ --help} and @samp{[ --version}, without
+the usual closing brackets. @xref{Common options}.
+
+@cindex exit status of @command{test}
+Exit status:
+
+@display
+0 if the expression is true,
+1 if the expression is false,
+2 if an error occurred.
+@end display
@menu
* File type tests:: -[bcdfhLpSt]
@@ -8759,11 +8780,11 @@ True if @var{file} exists and is a named pipe.
@cindex socket check
True if @var{file} exists and is a socket.
-@item -t [@var{fd}]
+@item -t @var{fd}
@opindex -t
@cindex terminal check
-True if @var{fd} is opened on a terminal. If @var{fd} is omitted, it
-defaults to 1 (standard output).
+True if @var{fd} is a file descriptor that is associated with a
+terminal.
@end table